When Law Met Order
by Vanessa.J
Summary: As the newest Assistant District Attorney in New York City, Adriana James begins to work closely with the members of the New York City Crime Lab. However, her relationship with a certain homicide detective becomes a little more complicated. Flack/OC.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note – Okay, so this is my first story. I love constructive feedback so if you have any to offer, please do. It would be highly appreciated._

_This is a Flack/OC but also have some DL, Adam/OC, and probably other pairings later on. _

_And I currently don't have a beta so any mistakes are mine and I do apologize. I did my best :D._

_Disclaimer – I own nothing associated with CSI NY, unfortunately. _

************

Adriana James walked out of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office Building with a small grin threatening to take over her face. Stopping at the top of the large set of stairs outside of the building, she stared out at the city she now called home.

New York City. The Big Apple, as some people referred to it. It's the place where people went to make it happen. What _it _is, no on really knows. What is known however is that to get it; you have to know how to work for it. If Adriana knew nothing else in the world, she knew how to work hard for what she wanted.

She worked hard all throughout high school to get the best grades she could. She worked hard throughout her days at Arizona State to come out with a law degree. She worked hard with the Phoenix District Attorney to earn the experience. And now, in the Big Apple, all of her hard work finally paid off.

She just acquired the title of Assistant District Attorney Adriana James; the title she had been waiting for her entire life. Thinking back, she couldn't remember a time when she didn't want to be a prosecutor. It was her thing. She loved every part of it. Plus it didn't hurt that she was a damn good one at that.

Watching with her olive green eyes as the people walked along the crowded sidewalks and the taxi cabs drove through the congested traffic, she knew that this was where she was meant to be. She ran a hand over her head, smoothing her shoulder-length honey brown hair that was pulled up into a neat bun. She was blessed with smooth skin that never seemed too pale or too tan. Standing at 5'5'', Adriana was proud of her appearance, but would always think back to the work it took. When she was in seventh grade she got braces for two years. Her hair took an hour every morning to straighten, due to the natural wavy texture.

She descended down the stairs, and began walking, becoming apart of the crowd. Her next destination was only three blocks from where she was, so she was fine with walking.

Her new boss, District Attorney Martin Anderson told her that she didn't have to start until next Monday, seeing as how it was Friday evening. But, being the workaholic she was, she figured that she would at least meet the lead detectives on the first case she would be working on.

So, after the short walk, Adriana found herself standing outside of the New York City Crime Lab. One of the best in the country and one of the main reasons that Adriana decided to come to New York.

Stepping inside of the modern glass skyscraper, she walked over to the reception desk to get a visitor pass. The directory on the wall next to the desk indicated that she needed to go to the 34th floor. She looked over at the elevator, just to see it almost closed.

"Hold the elevator!" she called out, doubting that the sole occupant heard her.

She was proved wrong when a hand came out and stopped the doors from closing.

Adriana quickly made her way into the elevator and stepped inside.

"Thanks," she spoke politely to the woman. She was an attractive brunette woman who was slightly taller than Adriana and had a head full of curls.

"No problem. What floor?" she asked Adriana.

"Thirty-fourth please," she answered.

"Oh, me too. Crime lab right?" The woman asked after she pushed the button and the elevator began to ascend.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to meet with a Detective Taylor."

"Well, I can show you since I'm headed there too. I'm Detective Stella Bonasera by the way," she said, extending her hand.

Adriana returned the gesture. "A.D.A. Adriana James. Nice to meet you." She told her; secretly proud of the fact that it was the first time she could address herself that way.

Stella gave her a kind smile. "Likewise."

The ding of the elevator signaled that they had reached their destination.

"Here, I'll show you to Mac's office," Stella said.

Adriana nodded and followed Stella through the hallways. The majority of the walls were glass, creating a rather impressive and modern lab. There were men and women in lab coats all walking in various directions with their faces buried in the files they carried around.

Stella led her to an office not far from where they had disembarked from the elevator. The office, like the rest of the lab, had glass walls. As the two women made their way inside, Adriana took in the neatness of the office.

A few pictures hung on the walls and shelves along with various awards and plaques. The occupant of the office was busy on the phone when they walked in, allowing Adriana time to look him over.

She didn't know who he was talking to, but the way he spoke was stern, almost demanding respect. Something about the way he talked and his posture screamed military to Adriana.

After noticing the two women, Detective Taylor ended his conversation.

"Hey Stella," he started before turning to Adriana. "And who might you be?"

Adriana moved forward, extending her hand. "I'm Adriana James, the new A.D.A. assigned to the Susan Mayer case."

"I was told you weren't going to be coming until Monday," he stated, returning her handshake.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't wait that long," she told him with a sheepish grin.

"I take it you're a workaholic." Mac stated, a small smile taking over his features.

"I've been told," she answered with a shrug.

Stella chuckled before the sound of her phone beeping got her attention. She looked down at the screen before looking back at Mac. "I got a DB over in Brooklyn," she told Mac.

Mac nodded as Stella moved to leave the office. "It was nice meeting you," she told Adriana.

"You too," Adriana replied before the older woman left the office.

She turned back to Mac who was handing her a file from his desk. "This is all of the information from the case. If you have any questions feel free to stop by anytime."

"Will do," she replied with a nod. "I'll probably come back on Monday to go over any details before the preliminary trial."

Mac offered her a small smile. "Here, let me show you back towards the elevators."

Adriana accepted his offer and followed him out of the office.

"Mac," someone called out.

They both turned around to find a young looking man with short, shaggy brown hair in a lab coat walking towards them with a file in his hands.

"Hey Mac, I got the results from…" he started but trailed off when he noticed that Mac wasn't alone. "Adriana?"

"Adam," she exclaimed with a large grin. She moved to give him a big hug which he eagerly returned. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I work here," he told her.

"Seriously? That's great. I guess those all of those A's in chemistry finally paid off."

"Yeah, I guess so. But what about you? I didn't know you moved to New York."

"I just did. I got a job in the D.A.'s office," she explained.

"Wow, that's great! So I guess all of those mock trials paid off."

"And I guess that you two somehow know each other," Mac said, his presence almost forgotten.

"Oh, sorry Mac. Adriana and I grew up together. Same schools and everything."

"Really?"

"Yup. We met in the third grade. How long has it been since I've seen you last, Adam?" she asked.

"I guess about five years. You know, you don't look any different."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked with a smirk.

Adam was about to respond but was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. All three glanced down to see if it was them.

"I've got a scene to head to," Mac informed them, his phone being the one that had rang. "Adam can you show Ms. James the way out."

"Sure thing boss," Adam answered. "But what about the results?"

"Tell Danny or Flack. They've got the lead on that one." Mac told him before heading off towards the elevators.

Adam nodded before turning back to Adriana. "Well, I guess I'll show you to the elevators."

"So, look at you, Mr. Lab Tech. Do you like it here?" she asked as they began to walk back towards the elevators.

"Yeah, it makes me feel like I'm apart of something bigger, you know,"

Adriana nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean," she said in agreement. "Since when did you become all deep and serious?"

Adam laughed nervously, fidgeting with the file in his hand. "I don't know…I don't think I am, maybe."

Adriana laughed at her old friend. "There's the Adam I remember."

"Ha, ha, very funny," he countered. "So look, my shift is almost over. Maybe we could grab a late dinner or something. You know, catch up."

Adriana nodded in agreement. "Sure. You've got to tell me some ex-girlfriend stories or something."

Adam chuckled before noticing a figure up ahead. "Hey Flack," he called out.

At the mention of his name, the tall, dark haired man turned around and walked towards the pair.

Adriana took in the neat suit he wore, and as he got closer, the bright blue eyes that darted between her and Adam.

"Mac told me to give you these. The fingerprint from the gun isn't a match to your suspect." Adam informed the man.

Flack nodded. "Thanks Adam," he said before turning to Adriana. "Hi,"

"Hi," she greeted in return. They stood in silence, waiting for Adam to make the introductions. Flack glanced at Adriana, mentally taking note of the fact that she was rather attractive.

The lab tech didn't notice until he looked up to see them both staring at him. "Oh, sorry. Um, Flack this is Adriana. Adriana this is Flack."

"Detective, I presume," Adriana asked, rolling her eyes at Adam's lack of detail.

Flack offered a small smile. "Yeah. Are you a detective?"

"Oh, no. I'm the new A.D.A," she told him.

Just then, Adam burst out laughing, his reasons unknown to Flack and Adriana.

"Uh, Adam? Do you want to share with the group?" Adriana asked.

"Oh, it's just like you're the prosecutor, and you're the detective," he said pointing between them.

"And?" Flack questioned.

"It's kind of like, Law, meet Order. You know, like the show," he said, using his hands as puppets, as if they were speaking to one another.

Adriana and Flack chuckled at his antics.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Law," he said with a smirk.

"It's nice to meet you too, Order."

"See, it is funny," Adam said, proud of his own joke.

Adriana rolled her eyes. _This is definitely going to be interesting,_ she thought to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note – Okay, so I want to thank everyone who gave me a review. It really means a lot. This is my first story so I was really excited for the feedback. Please be sure the review this one as well. Let me know what you think._

_Disclaimer – I own nothing associated with CSI NY, unfortunately._

_I also want to thank Axellia for being a wonderful and amazing beta. :)_

************

Out of all the things that Adriana found different about her new home, the way the people acted was the biggest. She didn't quite know the word to describe it but whatever it was, she liked it. It was like everyone walked with a purpose. They all had somewhere to be and they had to be there fast. She didn't know if it was because they all were late or if it was just the way things were in the city.

Maybe it was the city itself. She had always thought of New York as fast paced but now that she was there, she really felt why. The way the skyscrapers towered over everything else, and the way men and women in business suits held their heads up high, made her understand that the city as a whole seemed to demand it.

Adriana sat in the booth of the small diner that Adam had told her to meet him in. She had found enough time to go back to her apartment and change out of her business suit and into a pair of jeans and a simple white v-neck t-shirt.

She sat, sipping on the ice tea she ordered, staring out of the window, watching the various people that walked by her in the cool April weather. She loved the diversity of the city. There were people of all different races, classes, and religion. It amazed her to see everyone blending in with one another, creating a new group of people, New Yorkers.

"So you're still into people watching, huh?"

Adriana looked away to see Adam sliding into the booth across from her. "I can't help it," she answered. "But hey, you're the one that's late."

"I'm sorry A.J. I was heading out then another group of fingerprints came in and…"

"Adam," she interrupted, "its fine. I was just messing with you."

"Just like old times," he commented.

A young looking waitress with bright red hair approached their table. "What can I get for you two?" she asked.

"Um, I'll just have a cheeseburger and fries," Adriana requested.

"Alright," she said, writing it down on the pad she held in her hand. "What about you sweetie?" she asked Adam.

"Uh, I'll just have a house salad. Thanks."

"Gee Adam, are you trying to make me feel like a fat pig?" Adriana asked jokingly as the waitress left with their orders.

"Don't try to make me feel bad. You just eat more than anyone I know."

"Yeah I guess that's true," she said in agreement. "But I have to be honest with you Adam. If someone were to have told me that you were working in a crime lab, I probably wouldn't have believed them. But now that I see you, it seems to fit you really well."

"Thanks," he told her. "But what about you? You're an A.D.A. now. While most girls wanted to be singers or fashion designers, you were always talking about being a prosecutor."

Adriana chuckled at the memory. "Yeah well, while most guys were talking about being hockey players or firefighters, you were always talking about being a chemical research scientist."

"Touché," he said with a grin. "So, why New York?"

"You complaining Adam?" she teased.

"No, uh, I think it's great. I just figured you always loved Phoenix, you know, like that's why you never left."

Adriana turned back towards the window, her eyes following the numerous figures that walked by. "I guess I just needed a change in scenery."

"I understand. New York is definitely different from Phoenix," he noted with the raise of an eyebrow. "Wait, so what did your mom say?"

A large grin spread across Adriana's face as she turned back towards Adam. "She completely freaked, Adam. After trying to convince me to stay, she said that I would be sorry after getting mugged or attacked by a swarm of rats."

Adam laughed out loud at the memory of Adriana's mother. "So I guess it's safe to assume that she hasn't changed," he said after his laughing trailed off.

"Yup. She's the same annoying, overbearing woman that you remember her as," she told him.

"Ha, that's funny. So what about your Dad?"

The grin that she had was suddenly replaced with a small but sad smile as she reached for her glass. "He, uh, passed away back in February," she said before chewing on the straw that stuck out of her cup.

"Oh A.J., I'm so sorry," Adam told her, suddenly feeling like an ass. He knew that she and her dad had been really close.

"Don't worry about it, Adam. You didn't know. Besides, I've gotten over," she said reassuringly.

Adam watched her closely as she begin to swirl the straw around, pushing away pieces of ice with it. One thing about Adriana that he always found fascinating was the way that she could hide her emotions. Even in all the years that they'd known one another, Adam still had trouble reading her. He always figured that it was because it was a part of her job.

"Are you sure?" he asked her, confident that this was one of those moments when she was pretending to be okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've dealt with it you know," she told him.

Adam nodded in understanding. "Is that why you moved?" he asked her slowly.

"I don't know," she admitted with a sigh. "At first I thought it wasn't. I figured I just happened to get the urge to leave around the same time. But I mean, when I look back at the whole thing, I guess it is the reason. I mean, now that I think about it, he was probably the only reason I stayed in Phoenix for as long as I did."

An awkward silence enveloped the two old friends. Adriana went back to staring out of the window while Adam fidgeted with his hands, trying to think of something to say.

"Uh, well, you know my mother still asks about you," Adam said after the silence became too unbearable.

Adriana turned back towards him, any evidence of sadness that she once was feeling now gone. "Really? How is she by the way?"

"She has her good days and bad days. The cancer came back last year but she's a fighter," he told her.

"She always has been Adam."

"I know, but it's like, I kind of feel bad for not visiting as much as I should," he admitted.

"But that's because you're up here working your ass off everyday, fighting crime. She's probably telling all friends about how her little Adam is a big time forensic scientist in New York City."

Adam revealed a sheepish grin as he chuckled at her statement. "Probably."

The waitress who had taken their orders returned with their plates in hand. She placed the salad in front of Adriana and the cheeseburger in front of Adam. They thanked her and waited until she was back behind the counter to switch the plates.

"I guess she forgot who ordered what," Adam said as he began to eat his salad.

"Or she just assumed that I ordered the salad," Adriana pointed out, adding ketchup to her plate.

"Why do say that?"

"Because, salad is girl food," she said, matter-of-factly.

"No it isn't," he countered.

"Adam, yes it is."

************

Adriana arrived back to her apartment a little after 8:00 that night. She was happy that she and Adam had a chance to do a little catching up. She had really missed being able to see him everyday like back when they were younger. They did their best to keep in touch after he transferred to NYU, but between school and work, they hadn't been able to manage it.

She used her key to open the door to her apartment that was on the fifth floor in a complex in Manhattan. When it came time to move, Adriana got extremely lucky to find an apartment as soon as she did in an area that she liked. It was a small yet cozy apartment, complete with a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms. The second bedroom had been set up to serve as her home office, allowing her to keep up with all of her work at home.

She entered the front door, switching on the light. The apartment became illuminated, revealing the piles and piles of boxes. Adriana sighed, knowing that she should take advantage of the fact that it was the weekend and do some unpacking. She moved through the kitchen area and entered the office, looking for a particular box. She found it and opened it; the item she had been looking for was resting at the top of the pile of things in the box.

She stared down at the framed picture of her father. It was of him at his favorite restaurant, about to bite into a large burrito. She had taken it with the camera he bought her for her high school graduation. It was her favorite picture of him. Reginald James, or Reggie as everyone called him, had been her best friend. Even after her parents separated when she was seven, she would visit him every weekend. Whenever she had a fight with her mother, he would always be there to calm her down and tell her everything would be okay.

He was the one that had encouraged her to go to law school, even when her mother doubted her. He was her rock and now he was gone. A single tear fell from her eye, landing on the picture. Adriana took in a deep breath and placed the picture on her desk, next to her laptop. With one last glance at the picture, she left the office, telling herself that she had to move on.

************

Donald Flack Jr. hated Mondays. He always had. Maybe it was because it was the start of the work week. It's not that he didn't love his job, because he did. It just seemed harder to get up on a Monday morning compared any other day of the week. Most of the time he had worked over the weekend too, but Mondays just never appealed to him.

And so, when he walked into the lobby of the crime lab, he had the mindset that the day would go slower than usual. He made his way over to the elevators where he spotted a familiar figure up ahead.

"What's up Messer," he called out.

The man with tousled brown hair and wire framed glassed turned around at the sound of his name being called.

"How ya doin', Flack?" he replied with his thick New York accent.

"Pretty good. I thought you were off today?"

"Yeah I thought I was too, until I got a call from Mac about meeting with some new A.D.A. about the Mayer case."

Flack's thoughts went back to the woman he met the other day. He remembered her saying that she was in fact a new A.D.A. He wondered if she was the same one that Danny was referring to. His curiosity was short lived however when he saw her coming into the doors of the building.

"Who's that?" he heard Danny, who obviously took notice of her presence, ask.

Flack just smiled as he watched her, dressed in a white blouse and gray pin-striped skirt that stopped at her knee with a matching jacket. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that swung back and forth as she approached the two men.

Her eyes lit up with recognition when she reached them.

"Detective Flack, right?" she spoke.

Flack smiled down at her shorter figure. "Yeah. Nice to see you again," he greeted.

Danny cleared his throat, causing Flack to let out a small chuckle. "Uh, this is Detective Danny Messer, Messer this is Adriana…" he trailed off. "You know, I don't think I ever got your last name."

"James," she said, shaking hands with Danny, "I'm the new A.D.A," she informed them just as the elevator arrived.

"You're the reason I'm here on my day off?" Danny asked jokingly as they made their way inside the elevator. Danny pushed the button the take them all to the crime lab.

"Seems I am," Adriana answered with a small smile.

"So, James, where exactly are you from?" Danny questioned.

"Phoenix," she told him.

"Really. You know, we got a guy up…"

"Adam Ross," she interrupted.

"So, I guess that answers that," Danny said with a shrug.

"We grew up together," she explained.

"Wow," Flack commented, "I would have loved to see Adam in high school."

"Yeah, was he as socially awkward back then?" Danny asked.

"Compared to the Adam back then, the one you know might as well be Hugh Hefner himself," she said with a smirk, causing Don and Danny to laugh out loud.

The elevator arrived at its destination and the three occupants stepped off.

"As much as I would love to hear some of Adam's crazy high school experiences, I gotta go," Flack said. "So, I guess I'll see you later," he told Adriana.

"Definitely," she replied.

Flack gave her one last small smile before turning to head in the other direction.

"So what, I don't get a goodbye," Danny called after him.

"Later Messer," Flack replied back, without turning around.

Adriana laughed at the two men before turning back to Danny.

"I'll show you to the conference room," he offered and the two made their way through the hallways of the lab.

When they reached that conference room, Adriana saw Detective Taylor and another man she never met seated at the table.

He was African-American with his hair cut close to his head. He wore thick black glassed that on anyone else would have looked stupid but in Adriana's opinion seemed to work for him.

When he saw them enter, he stood up and extended his hand towards Adriana. "You must be this new A.D.A. I've heard so much about," he said with a kind smile.

"Adriana James," she replied, excepting his hand. "Nice to meet you…"

"Dr. Sheldon Hawkes," he informed her before retaking his seat.

She looked up at Mac and gave him a small smile. "Detective Taylor," she greeted.

"It's nice to see you again Ms. James."

"Please, call me Adriana," she told him.

Mac nodded at her as she sat her work bag on the table and began to pull out all of her files she had about the case.

"Wow, that's a lot of reading material," Danny commented.

She gave him a small smirk. "I like to be prepared," she told him before turning to the other occupants in the room. "So, let's get started, shall we?"


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note – Once again, thank you for the reviews. I'm glad people seem to be enjoying this story._

_Disclaimer – I own nothing associated with CSI NY, unfortunately. _

_Once again, thank you to the amazing Axellia for being a brilliant beta._

************

"So James, on a scale from one to ten, what are the chances of getting a solid conviction on this bastard?" Danny asked Adriana.

"Eleven," she said simply.

The case focused on a young woman who was attacked and killed inside of her apartment. The CSIs had managed to narrow it down to her ex-boyfriend. Now all that was left was to get a solid conviction, which of course was where Adriana came in.

Most people looked at the cops as the ones that put the bad guys away. Adriana however knew that there was a lot more to it. That was why she decided to become a prosecutor. She never wanted to be a cop but she knew that she wanted to promote the justice through good old fashion crime and punishment. The detectives found out who committed the crime, and she made sure they got their due punishment.

After going over the details of the case, Mac and Sheldon got called out on another one, leaving Danny and Adriana alone in the conference room.

"Really? I'm that good of a CSI, huh?" he boasted.

"No, it's more like I'm that good of a prosecutor," she told him.

"Okay, okay. I see how it is," Danny said with a chuckle.

Adriana offered him a smile as she stood from her chair. "No but seriously, with all the evidence you guys found, a conviction is gonna come like that," she said, snapping her fingers. "I mean between the DNA, fingerprints, strong motive, and lack of a decent alibi, this guy has no chance in hell of walking."

Danny nodded satisfactorily. "That's what I like to hear."

"You and me both," she added.

Just then, Danny's phone began to ring. He let out a small groan before flipping open his phone. "Messer."

Adriana began to put all of her papers back into her work bag while Danny continued his conversation. She let out a small chuckle when he closed it shut with a frown on his face.

"I take it that that wasn't happy phone call," she observed.

"When I woke up this mornin', I was off. Then I was off, with a meeting in the morning. Now I'm off, with a meeting in the morning, and a new case in the afternoon," he complained.

"Sorry about taking your morning," she offered.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Danny said with a shrug. "It comes with the job."

Adriana understood exactly what he was saying. Once the trial started, she would constantly be busy. However, she would be a liar if she were to say she wasn't excited.

"So, I guess I'll see you later James," Danny said as he headed towards the door.

"I guess so," she replied with a smile.

After he left, Adriana let out a content sigh. She had to admit, they were good. First, Mac always seemed to speak with confidence, which also translated into the confidence that she knew he had in his team. Then there was Sheldon. If Adriana knew nothing else about him, she knew that he was smart. Whenever he was explaining something scientific, she could tell that the man knew what he was talking about. And last was Danny. When she first met him, he didn't seem like the typical CSI. But he surprised Adriana with the way he presented the evidence he collected. He also showed her that he knew what he was talking about.

Adriana immediately felt that she could trust these CSI's when it came to bringing them up to the stand. And at the end of the day, they were her main tool when it came to winning the conviction.

"Excuse me,"

Adriana turned around at the sound of the voice to see a young woman with short brown hair and big brown eyes standing in the doorway. She was dressed in a lab coat over her blue shirt and dark brown pants.

"Hi, I was looking for Danny Messer. He was supposed to have a meeting in here," she said.

"Oh, he just left like a couple of minutes ago. He got called out on a case," Adriana informed her. "Sorry," she added when the woman's shoulders dropped slightly in disappointment.

"It's okay. It happens all the time with this job," she said with a small smile.

"Tell me about it," Adriana said in agreement.

The woman eyed her for a minute, taking in her appearance. "You must be the A.D.A."

"Yeah," she confirmed. "CSI?"

"Yup. Lindsay Monroe."

"Adriana James. Nice to meet you."

"You too," Lindsay said with a small smile. "So, how are you liking New York so far?" she asked.

"How did you know that I wasn't from the city?" Adriana asked curiously.

"Adam told me."

"Of course he did," she said with a small smile, "but New York is great."

"I know what you mean. I'm from Montana and while I do miss it, I definitely have come to love the city."

"Wow, Montana? That's certainly different from New York. A lot more..." she paused, searching for the right word.

"Country," Lindsay offered with s small smile.

"Yeah," Adriana said in agreement. "How long have you lived here?"

"A couple of years," she told her. "Look I have to go, but if you ever need anything let me know. I know what it's like to be the new girl in the city."

"Thanks. I definitely will," Adriana told her with a genuine smile. "I only know Adam but it's nice to know I've got someone else."

"Good. I'll see you later," she said before heading out of the room.

Adriana smiled to herself as she grabbed her bag and did the same. She immediately liked Lindsay. She seemed like a nice enough person in Adriana's opinion. It was nice to start meeting new people in the city.

Adriana left the conference room and went towards the elevator to head to the ground floor of the building. When she reached her destination, she walked through the lobby and outside to the busy sidewalks.

She crossed through the crowd and stood on the edge of the sidewalk and began to scan the traffic, searching for a taxi. After a week in the city, Adriana still found it difficult to hail a cab. She never knew what she was doing wrong but it seemed like each attempt took twenty minutes.

This was one of those moments. After failing miserably to stop two empty cabs that whizzed pass her, Adriana seriously contemplated giving up. Then she saw a cab slow down in her direction. She smiled at the fact that she finally succeeded until she saw that the cab actually stopped for a woman about five feet away from her.

The busty blond gave her smug look as she climbed into the awaiting cab.

"What the hell," Adriana said to herself as she watched the cab and its passenger drive away.

"You okay?"

Adriana spun around to see Flack standing behind her.

"I can't seem to get a stupid cab," she said with a frustrated sigh.

"Having a little trouble, huh?" he asked with a smirk.

Adriana couldn't help the grin that formed on her face. "I guess you could say that I haven't quite mastered the 'New York City Hail a Damn Taxi Cab' method yet," she told him.

Flack chuckled at her statement. "I've never heard it called that before."

"Oh it exists," she said.

"Really?"

"Yup. But see, since you're a native New Yorker, it's a natural ability for you. Us foreigners have to learn it," she told him with a smile.

"What makes you say I'm native?" he questioned.

"Maybe it's your accent."

"I guess that will do it," he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah," Adriana agreed.

Flack laughed again before moving closer to the street. With the quick raise of an arm, a cab seemed to come out of nowhere and pull up right in front of the pair.

He turned around to see Adriana watching in disbelief. "Now why can't I do that?"

Flack laughed as he reached and opened the door to the cab for her. "I guess you have to work on your 'New York City Hail a Damn Taxi Cab' method a little more."

Adriana just shook her head and laughed before moving towards the awaiting cab. "Well, thank you Detective."

"Don't worry about it," he replied.

She smiled at him once more before getting in the cab. Flack closed the door once she was in and stepped back as the cab merged into traffic. He smiled to himself before turning around and heading to his own car.

************

"How much stuff do I have?" Adriana asked herself.

After leaving the crime lab, she went back to her office to prepare more for the arraignment for her case that was on Thursday. She got home later that evening and decided to do some unpacking. After about two hours of working, she looked back at all the boxes she had left. Even though she emptied a good amount of boxes, it still looked like she hadn't unpacked a single one.

Letting out a frustrating groan, she moved to sit on the couch in her living room. She thought about watching TV but sighed when she realized that it was obscured because of the boxes.

Just then the telephone rang. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the cordless phone that sat on the counter.

She glanced at the screen on the phone and let out another groan when she recognized the number.

"Hello," she said in a fake cheery voice.

"Is that you, Adriana?"

Adriana rolled her eyes at her mother's question. _Who else would it be? _she thought to herself. "Yes, Mother."

"Oh, okay. So, how's your new life?" she asked.

Adriana bit her bottom lip to keep from saying something she would regret. Lynette Harrison always knew how to upset Adriana. Somehow, her questions always seemed to come off as rude and demising.

"It's great, Mom."

There was a slight pause on the other line. "Really?"

Adriana couldn't keep the smile that spread across her face at her mother's reaction. "Yeah, it's great. Oh, and you'll never guess who I ran into."

"Who," Lynette asked, her voice full of disinterest.

"Adam Ross. You remember him right?"

"Wasn't he that weird kid you use to hang out with for some reason?"

"Yup. Well now, he's really hot and sexy and we're going out," Adriana joked, knowing it would upset her.

"Adriana Marie James, stop joking around with me," he mother scolded. Though Lynette and Adriana didn't always get along, they knew each other well enough to know when one of them was joking.

"Sorry," Adriana said, just as a knock sounded at the door. "Listen mother, I have to go, someone's at the door."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know seeing as how I'm still talking to you."

Lynette scolded her once more for her response but eventually said goodbye, promising to call again soon.

Adriana placed the phone on the hook before heading towards her front door. She looked out the peephole and saw Adam waiting patiently on the other side.

"Hey Adam," she greeted as she swung the door open.

"Hey," he replied.

Adriana stepped aside to let him come in further. He walked in, looking around the apartment. "Nice place."

"Thanks," she replied. "So Adam, though I enjoy your company and everything, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to kidnap you," he told her.

"Kidnap me?"

"Well not kidnap in terms of like hitting you with a blunt object, and tying your hands and feet, and dragging you out of the apartment and downstairs…"

"Adam," she interrupted, "I get it."

"Oh right, sorry. I mean to say I'm here to take you out."

"Out where?" she asked.

"To Sullivan's."

"Who's Sullivan?"

"It's a bar," he told her.

"A bar?"

"Yes, a bar. And stop with those little question replies you keep giving me," he said.

"Sorry," Adriana said with a chuckle. "So, why are we going to Sullivan's?"

"A couple of guys from work were gonna meet to watch the Rangers game."

"Rangers as in hockey?"

When he nodded, Adriana let out a sigh. "Come on Adam. You know I hate hockey," she complained.

"I know but consider this trip to be more for the company instead of for the game."

Adriana glanced around her apartment. She knew that if she stayed, the only company she would have would be all of the boxes. She turned back to Adam and let out a defeated sigh. "Fine."

She looked down at the sweatpants and tank top she was wearing. "Give me five minutes to change," she told Adam before heading off towards her bedroom.

She was halfway down the hall when she suddenly stopped and turned around.

"What?" Adam asked, seeing the confusion on her face.

"I just realized that I never gave you my address. How did you know I lived here?"

"Come on AJ. I work in a crime lab full of high tech computers equipped with all kinds of databases. Finding one little address doesn't take much," he explained.

"Should I be worried?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note – Thanks again for all the reviews. I truly appreciate them. Like always, let me know what you think!_

_Disclaimer – I own nothing unfortunately_

_Special thanks to Axellia for the help!_

************

Flack leaned against the bar, waiting for Frankie, the bartender, to bring back the drinks he was sent to get. After their shift, he, Danny, and Sheldon along with Adam had decided to meet to watch some of the hockey game.

For a Monday night, the bar was actually quite crowded. But after years as both a detective and a regular patron, Flack knew that that wasn't an uncommon fact. Sometimes, a night out at a bar was just what a member of the NYPD needed to erase the gruesome images of the day. Flack's eyes scanned the bar, landing on the front door just as it opened, revealing two familiar faces.

He saw Adam and Adriana enter the bar, both searching the room. As he watched them, he noticed how Adriana seemed to look a little bit different. He realized that it was the first time he'd seen her with her hair let down. The light brown wavy locks sat gracefully on her shoulders, framing her face. He made a mental note that he preferred it that way.

When he first met Adriana in the lab, he found her rather attractive. But it seemed liked each time he saw her, she came off as even more striking. He had to admit, the woman was beautiful. Her olive eyes seemed to be both light and dark at the same time, a fact that Flack couldn't quite understand. But the thing that he found most stunning was her smile. He didn't know why but the way her full lips curled and her bright white teeth came through made her smile contagious.

He noticed Adriana smile that very smile when she spotted him at the bar, pointing it out to Adam. He watched as Adam told her something before making his way over to the booth occupied by Danny and Sheldon. Adriana walked over to Flack, rolling her eyes.

"Adam ordered me to tell you that he wants his usual," she said, joining him in leaning against the bar.

"You want anything?" he asked smile.

"Uh, just a sweet tea. Thanks"

"Hey Frankie, add a beer and sweet tea, will ya?" he called out to the bartender.

"No problem Flack," the man replied, moving to make the orders.

"A beer?" Adriana scoffed. "That's his usual? Why didn't he just say that?"

"It's Adam," Flack said with a shrug.

"That's true," she replied with a chuckle.

"So, you likin' New York so far?" he asked casually.

"Yeah, it's been pretty good. I like how everyone moves so swift," she said before laughing at her choice of words. "Swift?" she repeated to herself.

Flack laughed with her. "Don't worry. I know what you mean," he assured.

Frankie returned with the tray of drinks. Flack took it and led Adriana to the circular booth located towards the back of the bar.

When they reached the table, Flack sat the tray in the center before sliding into the booth next to Danny. Adriana sat next to Adam as Sheldon sat in the center.

"Nice to see you again Ms. James," Sheldon greeted her.

"Adriana," she told him with a smile.

"Adriana," he corrected.

Just then, a thunderous cheer erupted throughout the bar. All the patrons cheered in unison at the game, including the men at her table.

Adriana rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her tea, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't tell me you're a Capitals fan," Flack said after the cheers subsided.

"Hardly," she told him.

"So what, you don't like hockey?"

Adriana rested her elbows on the table. "Maybe I'm a Rangers fan," she pointed out.

"Really? You don't seem like one."

"And what makes you say that Detective?" she asked.

"Well for one, you haven't glanced at the TV since you've been here, which tells me that you really don't care about the score," he said with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Fine, you win," she said with a small groan. "But to answer your question, no, I really don't care for hockey at all."

"Then why are you at a bar on the night of a big game?" Danny asked pointedly.

"I was forced," she said, sending a glare towards Adam.

"Well, consider it just to be for the company," Sheldon told her.

Adriana laughed slightly. "Yeah well, I could use some new company. Only person I've met so far was my ninety something year old next door neighbor," she admitted.

"Ha, ninety something year old, that's funny," Adam said, laughing louder than anyone else, causing the rest of the table to give him odd stares. "Sorry, I just find that kinda funny you know. Some old guy all like, hey little lady, can you come and scrub my…"

"Adam," Adriana interrupted.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin before turning back to the television.

"So what made you choose New York?" Sheldon asked her.

"You," she said before noticing the confused look on his face. "I mean not you directly, but the whole crime lab. I read that its one of the best in the country so I figured, why not," she explained.

"I like you," Danny said pointing at her. "About time someone recognizes the work we do."

"Well I have to. In order to do my job, I got to trust the job you do."

"When's your first trial?" Flack asked.

"I've got an arraignment tomorrow," she told him. "Hopefully the jerk will plead guilty and I can move on."

"I bet you kind of want him not to plead guilty just so you can prosecute him and show your stuff," Adam commented.

Adriana shrugged lightly at his statement. "Is that wrong?"

"Not at all," Flack said with a chuckle.

She smiled at him just as another set of cheers erupted throughout the bar. Adriana started to roll her eyes but noticed Flack watching her expectantly.

"Aren't you missing the game?" she asked with a smirk.

"I'll be alright," he replied with a shrug.

Adriana was about to comment when the sound of phone ringing stopped her.

Danny groaned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Messer," he answered.

For the second time that day, Adriana watched Danny's facial expression turn to that of disappointment.

"You gotta go in," Flack asked after he hung up.

"Yeah. Triple homicide over in Queens," he explained. "Stella said it's a big one so you might as well come too Hawkes cause your phone is gonna be ringing any minute."

Sheldon nodded in understanding. Flack got out of his seat to allow Danny and Sheldon to leave.

The two said their goodbyes and headed out the door as Flack retook his seat.

"And then there were three," Adriana commented.

Flack chuckled before focusing his attention back on the TV, allowing Adriana time to really look him over.

She had to admit, the man was attractive. She also found his smile to be rather sexy; the way his dimples came upon his face and his bright white teeth came through. But she had to admit, she found his eyes to be his best feature. The brightness in them always made her want to smile.

Adriana shook the thoughts from her head as she turned to watch the others patrons of the bar. She watched as men and woman literally jumped up and down in their seats as they watched the game play out on TV. She never understood the fascination with the game. She just pictured it to be a bunch of guys skating around, hitting pucks with sticks.

"AJ."

"Huh," Adriana said, oblivious to the fact that Adam had been trying to get her attention.

"I asked what time do you have to go in tomorrow?"

"Oh, uh at about ten," she told him before glancing down at her watch. It was nearing eleven o'clock. "Wow, I didn't realize it's so late," she said. "I gotta head out Adam."

"Party pooper," he teased him.

"Whatever," she countered as she stood from her seat.

"I probably should get ready too," Flack commented, doing the same.

"So you're both leaving me," Adam whined.

'Seems that way," Flack said smile. "But don't worry buddy. There's a girl at the bar that's been looking at you the whole time. Maybe you should go talk to her."

Adam's head spun around as he searched the bar for the mystery woman.

"I don't see anyone," he said but Adriana and Flack had already reached the door.

Adriana laughed out loud as she and Flack stepped out into the cool April night. The light breeze created a small chill in the air. Adriana unconsciously wrapped her arms around her as her jean jacket proved to be insufficient in providing enough warmth. The one thing she would always miss about Phoenix would be the constant warm weather.

"That was mean," she said in between laughs.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"There was no girl was in there, was it?"

"Okay, maybe not. But it'll take him a good minute to figure that out," he admitted.

"That's so true. But hey, that's my Adam," she said.

Flack paused for a minute, taking in her comment. "Are you two…," he started.

"Dating? Hell, no," she interrupted. "Don't get me wrong, I love Adam but only as a friend," she told him before a smirk came across her face. "Why?"

"Just curious," he said with a simple shrug.

"Sure," she replied slowly.

Flack chuckled before looking over towards the street. "You need me to catch you a cab again?"

"As a matter of fact I don't. I can get one all on my own Detective," she said confidently before moving towards the street. She didn't have to wait long before a cab drove in her direction. She stepped forward slightly and raised her arm, waving in its direction.

She heard Flack laugh out loud as it sped right past her.

"Dammit," she said in frustration. She turned around to Flack who was smirking playfully at her.

"Nice job," he teased.

"Ha, ha," she said sarcastically. "I was just practicing. You know, warming up."

"Sure," he said before stepping towards the street. When he saw another cab, he turned back towards Adriana and remained eye contact with her, still managing to gesture the cab to them. When it stopped in front of them, Flack lowered his arm and raised his eyebrows at her.

"How's that?" he asked playfully.

After recovering from the overall shock, Adriana sent a glare in his direction. "Show off."

"You're welcome," he replied as he moved to open the door for her.

Adriana rolled her eyes as she went towards the cab. She stopped at the door and looked back at Flack.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"No problem," he said.

Adriana smiled at him one last time before fully entering the cab and rattling off her address. Flack closed the door and moved back onto the sidewalk. He gave her a small wave as the cab slowly pulled away.

Adriana sat in the back of the taxi, a small smile on her face. She didn't know if it was Flack or the fact the she got to go into court the next day but she smiled for the rest of the ride home.

************

"Your honor, the city of New York would like to charge Charles Easton with the murder, in the first degree, of Susan Mayer."

"Very well, how does the defendant plea?"

"Not guilty, your honor."

Adriana held back the smirk that she so wanted to show. She cast a sideward glance in the direction of her opponent.

Charles Easton sat nervously in his chair, fidgeting his hands in his lap. He wore what looked to be his only suit, one that had never been washed. He kept throwing nervous glances in Adriana's direction, obviously threatened by her. _He should be _she thought to herself. Every time she looked at him, she suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. The guy's demeanor screamed guilty. The only reason he probably plead not guilty was because of the woman standing beside him.

Adriana heard many times about defense attorney Susan Willis. She was a tall, older blonde, probably standing at six feet. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun that made her forehead seem fairly large. She had a big bust; one that Adriana was confident was fake. Her gray paints suit seemed one size too small in Adriana's opinion.

Everyone in her office said though she wasn't that tough of a competitor, her attitude would always rub people the wrong way.

"Does the prosecution wish to continue in seeking a conviction?" Judge Richard Grange asked. He was an old judge with a head full of gray hair and wrinkles all over his face. Adriana had been told that this judge was pretty fair when it came to convictions.

"We do, Your Honor. The New York City Crime Lab was able to find more than enough evidence against Charles Easton," Adriana replied with confidence.

"All of the evidence doesn't prove anything, Your Honor," Susan argued, throwing a heated glare in Adriana's direction.

"Your Honor, the suspect's DNA was found at the crime scene, including in the victim's bedroom," Adriana pointed out.

"They were dating Your Honor, which can easily explain my client's DNA in that apartment," Susan countered.

"Well how do you explain the fact that the victim filed a restraining order against Charles Easton three weeks prior to the murder? Plus, there is video footage of the victim that proves that she washed her sheets after the restraining order was filed which proves Easton violated it when he entered Susan Mayer's apartment."

"Alright. It's seems I've heard enough." Grange spoke up. "After listening to the arguments of the prosecution and reviewing the case file, it seems fit to take this matter to trial."

"Your Honor, the people request that Charles Easton be held without bail." Adriana stated.

"Your Honor, I don't think that that is entirely necessary…"

"Your Honor, the suspect has history of suicide attempts which proves that he should be held without the opportunity to inflict any type of self injury." Adriana interrupted.

"Your Honor, that was ten years ago and my client has received the appropriate counseling," Susan countered.

She watched as Grange thought for a minute before speaking. "I will grant the wish of the defense. Charles Easton is set to be held with bail set at five thousand dollars. Trial will be held in one week," he said before slamming the gavel, indicating that that was the final word.

Adriana watched as the bailiff came to escort a gloomy looking Charles Easton away in handcuffs. She was disappointed at the bail but also knew that Charles in no way had five thousand dollars lying around.

She gathered all of her materials together as she felt a presence beside her. She turned to find Susan standing over her, looking down at her shorter frame.

"You may be new in town but don't start thinking you have any chance of winning this case," she said harshly.

Adriana just gave the woman a small smile and shrugged. "Too late for that," she said simply.

She didn't wait for a reply as she slid past her and headed out of the courtroom. When she entered the hallway, she finally released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

She looked forward to the trial that would be coming up in a week so she could finally put the creep away where he belonged.

Adriana was making her way towards the exit when the sound of her cell phone interrupted her. She reached into her purse and glanced down at the screen. "I nailed it," she said after flipping the phone open.

"That's awesome. I'm really proud of you AJ," Adam replied.

"Thanks, Adam. I really think…" she trailed off when she noticed a familiar figure up ahead. "Hey Adam, let me call you back," she said.

She waited for Adam's reply before closing the phone shut. She dropped it back into her purse before walking up to the figure. She got behind him and purposefully bumped into him.

"Oh excuse me kind sir," she joked.

Flack smiled when he saw who it was the bumped him from behind. "You followin' me now James?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes. I woke up this morning and said, I think I'm gonna follow that Detective around today," she said sarcastically.

"Seems like a good plan," he said with a shrug.

Adriana rolled her eyes before continuing. "What are you doing here?"

"Testifying in another case," he told her while nodding his head in the direction of the courtroom he was waiting in front of. "So how'd yours go?"

"Brilliantly, if I do say so myself," she said.

"Well congrats then," he told her with a smile.

Adriana returned the gesture before a voice called out.

"Hey Flack, they're ready for you," an officer from inside the court called out.

Flack nodded in his direction before turning back to Adriana. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah," she replied.

He gave her one last smile before heading towards the courtroom.

Adriana watched him for a minute before turning in the direction of the exit. She had barely made it three feet when she heard Flack call out to her.

"Hey James, if you want you can wait for me to get ya a cab but if not, maybe you should try using the subway," he teased before disappearing into the courtroom.

Adriana couldn't help but laugh at his teasing. She walked out of the main door and headed down the steps, still shaking her head.

Flack was definitely one to remember.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note - Hey everyone. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I just want to point out that I'm not a lawyer or anything so it's mostly from what I've seen on TV. I anything seems too far fetched, feel free to let me know. Thanks!_

_Disclaimer - I don't own CSI NY, unfortunately._

_Special thank you to Axellia for the help!_

************

Adriana sat at the desk that was located in the office that she was awarded when she first got the job. It was a nice size office, but that was probably because she shared with another A.D.A. The deep gray paint that covered the walls created a rather dull mood, one that Adriana was not fond of. Along with the two desks, there were two file cabinets; one for her and one for the other A.D.A. A bookshelf rested on the wall adjacent to the door filled with all kinds of books dealing with the two biggest subjects in her world: crime and punishment.

The wall opposite the door featured two large bay windows that overlooked some of the city. The view was probably Adriana's favorite thing about the office. She was located on the third floor which allowed her to get a good view of the people below without being too close. She often found herself getting up from her desk and perching herself on the edge of the window sill, staring out at the city. Her desk was farthest from the window, much to her dismay. Whoever had the other desk had the luxury of being able to simply turn their chair around to see out of the window, a luxury that made her slightly envious.

She looked up from the police report she was reading. Though the trial wasn't for another three days, she wanted to go back over her notes. She was a perfectionist and she knew it. That was why she woke up and threw on a pair of jeans and a simple college t-shirt and came into her office in a Saturday morning. She figured it would be less crowded which made it easier for her to focus. She also knew that the only thing waiting back at home were the piles of boxes that she had yet to unpack.

Adriana glanced over at the empty desk of her office mate. Though she hadn't been in New York for a whole week, she was surprised that she hadn't met whoever it was. She had been in a couple of times over the past few days but the desk remained empty. She was told that it belonged to some guy with the last name Levi but that didn't tell her much.

She looked back down at the file in front of her. The case against Charles Easton was a solid one. They had loads of physical evidence against him. A witness placed him near the crime scene at the time of the murder and the motive was clear. Susan Mayer had dumped him and made it clear that she never wanted to see him again. He however, didn't quite comprehend which lead to murder.

"People these days," she said to herself.

"Tell me about it."

Adriana nearly jumped out of chair as the mysterious voice spoke. She looked up to see a man standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk dancing across his features.

"Sorry," he said with a chuckle.

"You scared the hell out of me," she said with her hand over her heart.

"You'd be surprised at how many times I've heard that," he said, moving towards the other desk.

Adriana watched as he moved towards her desk. He looked to be about five foot ten or so with chocolate brown hair cut close to his head and light stubble going across his jaw line. Even though he was seated, Adriana could tell that he was well built, as his muscular arms were shown due the plain gray t-shirt and jeans he wore.

"I take it that you're Adriana," he asked with a smile.

"Uh, yeah. You must be Levi," she answered.

"Zachary Levi. Nice to meet you roomie," he said extending his hand.

"You too," she said politely, taking his hand in hers.

He gave her a quick grin before moving towards his desk and taking a seat in his chair. He leaned back and watched Adriana with his hazel brown eyes.

"What?" Adriana asked curiously.

"You do realize you're here on a Saturday, right?" he asked.

"I'm fully aware of that fact. But so are you," she pointed out.

"True," he admitted. "So you're really a prosecutor huh? You seem kind of young. What are you, twenty-seven?"

"Maybe."

"I'll take that as a yes," he replied with a smirk.

Adriana couldn't help but chuckle at the man. She couldn't tell if this demeanor he currently had was one of pure confidence in his ability to make first good impressions or just plain arrogance.

"So, age is nothing but a number. You're what, twenty-eight?"

"Thirty, but thank you for the compliment," he replied. "That your case?" he asked, glancing at the file on her desk.

"Yeah, it's the one for Susan Mayer."

"Ah," he said in recognition. "Estranged boyfriend comes back to kill girlfriend."

"That'd be the one," she told him, raising an eyebrow.

Zachary leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the desk. "You got Grange as a judge right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, listen. I'm sure you've heard that Grange is pretty fair. But let me tell you, he's also old school. He doesn't take well to new techniques that some prosecutors use. Just keep it simple. The more physical evidence you got, the better. Keep it straightforward and to the point, alright?"

Adriana looked at Zachary with a small smile. "Thanks. I'll definitely keep that in mind."

"No problem. Just helping out the rookie," he replied. "So you know you're here on a Saturday, right?"

"And you know you already asked that right?" she countered.

"Very good," he said with a grin. "Just making sure you pay attention to detail. No but seriously, why are you here? Shouldn't you be out shopping with the gals?"

Adriana laughed out at his comment. "Yeah, right. The gals?"

"Gals, girls, chicks, homies, whatever you refer to them as."

"Well, if you must know, I just moved here from Phoenix so there are no gals at the moment," she told him.

"Phoenix? That's definitely far from New York."

"Exactly," she said with a smirk before looking back down at her file.

Zachary let out a small chuckle before opening his drawer and pulling out a file of his own. Adriana watched him for a moment before focusing her attention back on her own file.

The two sat in silence for the next half hour, each fully engrossed in their own work. She glanced up at him every now and then to find him reading intently the papers on his desk.

Though Adriana figured Zachary to be a bit cocky, she could also tell that he was probably a damn good prosecutor. Something about the way he spoke made her think he was a hell of a competitor in the courtroom.

"You wanna grab some lunch?" Zachary asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Lunch," he said. "You see, here in New York, people eat a meal, right around noon called lunch."

"Ha, ha," Adriana replied sarcastically. "I know what lunch is."

"So, do you want to? There's this little sandwich shop…" he started but was cut off by the sound of Adriana's phone ringing.

"Sorry," she told him before answering. "James."

"Adriana, its Mac Taylor."

"What is it?" she asked worriedly. She could tell immediately from his tone that this wasn't a happy news call.

"We have a problem," he said slowly.

************

Adriana stood in Mac's office, looking in disbelief at the crime scene folders laid out on his desk.

The body of Charles Easton was found in a dumpster about two blocks from his apartment. She could tell from the photos that he had been beaten pretty badly.

She picked up the one that was a close up of his face. If it wasn't for the fact that his wallet that contained his driver's license was still in his pocket, Adriana wouldn't have been sure that it was really him. The bruises on his face covered each of his prominent features, making him completely unrecognizable.

She looked up at Mac, who stood behind his desk, his hands resting on his hips and the frustration evident on his face.

"How the hell did this happen?" she asked.

"Well apparently, someone got to Charles Easton and felt he deserved to be beaten to death," he answered.

Adriana let out an aggravated sigh. "I get that, but I mean how did he get out of jail? I'm sure he didn't have five thousand dollars lying around."

"Seems someone posted bail."

Adriana turned around to see Lindsay walking into the office with a file in his hands. She sent a small smile in Adriana's direction before handing the file to Mac.

"Adriana, this is Lindsay Monroe, she's an investigator. Lindsay this is A.D.A Adriana James," Mac introduced.

"We've met," Lindsay told him.

"So who posted the bail?" Adriana asked Mac.

"Ricky Nanter," he read aloud from the file. "Do we know who Ricky Nanter is?" he asked Lindsay.

"Charles Easton's roommate," Lindsay said.

"What time?" Adriana inquired.

"According to the records, bail was paid at exactly 10:24 last night," Lindsay informed her.

"And Sid place the time of death somewhere between 9:00 and 11:00 pm," Mac added.

"So, unless I'm missing something, Charles was killed within thirty six minutes of his being bailed at of jail," Adriana assumed.

"That's a really small window," Lindsay pointed out.

"I think we should have a little talk with Ricky," Mac concluded.

"Flack is bringing him in now," Lindsay told him.

Mac nodded before turning to Adriana. "I take it you're coming," he said to her.

"Wouldn't miss it."

************

The three quickly made there was to the New York City police precinct that was conveniently next door to the crime lab. Adriana followed Mac and Lindsay through the array of desks located in the main room, some which held detectives that were busy on the phone or engrossed in paperwork. The whole room was noisy and seemed congested with people moving every which way. There was also the sound of the occasional citizen yelling something absurd as they were being carried off to the various interrogation rooms.

They made their way past the desks and into the hallway. They entered one of the doors into the viewing room. Adriana saw who she assumed to be Ricky Nanter sitting nervously in the chair across from Flack who sat in his chair, staring intently at him.

Ricky was tall and lanky with dirty blonde hair and clothes to match. Adriana didn't know if it was possible for someone to look liked they smelled, but that man certainly did.

"So Ricky, you wanna tell me about last night?" Flack asked him.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" he replied, looking everywhere except at Flack.

"I'm talking about you bailing out your buddy Charles Easton at exactly 10.24 last night," Flack said, his voice getting louder.

"So, that's not illegal," he countered.

"Yeah, but murder is."

Ricky's head shot up at Flack's comment. The amount of surprised registered on his face made him an unlikely candidate for the crime in Adriana's opinion.

"Charlie's dead?" he asked, sounding like a kid who just lost his puppy.

"Yup, he was murdered. Right after you bailed him out," Flack informed him. "So what, you go and bail him out, but he isn't as grateful as you think he should be so you begin to show him how unhappy you are?" he asked, getting up out of his chair.

"Wait, you think I had something to do with it?" Ricky asked in disbelief.

"Didn't my last comment make that kinda obvious?" Flack said sarcastically.

"Look, I didn't kill Charlie, alright. I came to the station during my break and paid for his bail, then went back to work," he explained.

"Where do you work?"

"At the Smarty Mart on the corner of sixth and Lex," he answered.

"Where did Charles go?"

"He said he was going back to the apartment."

"So how does someone who spends all day making slurpees end up having five thousand dollars to bail out a guilty roommate?" Flack questioned, pacing the side of the room opposite to Ricky.

Ricky looked down at his hands before answering. "Um, someone gave it to me," he said slowly.

Flack let out a light chuckle, shaking his head. "You expect me to believe that someone just gave you five thousand dollars."

"Look, some guy came into the store and asked if I was Charlie's roommate. I said yes and he offered to give me the five grand for the bail plus five hundred for myself."

"And you just took it?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't you?"

"So did you get a name?" Flack asked, ignoring his question.

"No, he didn't say," he said. "Look all I know is that he was a chubby old white guy with brown hair," he added after seeing the disapproving look on Flack's face.

Flack just rolled his eyes and headed towards the door to leave.

"Hey wait, can't I go?" Ricky asked.

"No," Flack said simply.

"Why not? I didn't do anything."

Flack shrugged as he reached out for the doorknob. "I just don't like you," he deadpanned before completely leaving the room.

Adriana watched the entire interrogation through the view glass. She had to admit, she was impressed. This was the first time she was able to see Flack in complete work mode and she saw that he was a natural at what he did.

Flack entered the viewing room and let at an aggravated sigh. "If this guy's alibi checks out, we got no reason to hold him."

"So, where does that leave us?" Adriana asked.

"We focus on Charles Easton. Why would someone want to kill him?" Mac spoke up.

"The guy was arrested for killing his ex-girlfriend. Someone close to Susan Mayer maybe felt that they needed to take matters into their own hands," Lindsay pointed out.

"Could be random or gang related. The guy didn't live in the best of neighborhoods," Flack added.

"Let's focus on what we have. Flack, see if there is any surveillance in the convenient store. I want to know who this mystery donator was. My guess is that whoever it was wanted Charles Easton out of jail, so they could show him their version of the justice system," Mac said. "Lindsay, you and Stella go back to Easton's apartment. See if there were any threats made to him personally," he added before turning to Adriana. "We'll keep you updated on anything we find."

"I appreciate it," she said with a small smile.

Mac gave her a small nod and headed out the room.

"Well, it looks like your first case just became your second," Lindsay said with a smile.

Adriana shrugged. "Well, the first one would have been easy. This one, not so much. But hey, I like a challenge," she told her.

Lindsay smiled before leaving the room, leaving Flack and Adriana alone.

"If I charged this guy with pure stupidity, you think you could win a conviction?" he asked jokingly.

"Despite my marvelous prosecuting skills, stupidity isn't illegal."

Flack let out a small chuckle before leading her out of the room. "It should be."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note – As always, thanks so much for the reviews. I really appreciate them. _

_Disclaimer - I don't own CSI NY, unfortunately._

_Special thanks to Axellia for the help and nominations! Thank you to anyone who voted for me!_

************

Adriana stood outside of the small town house located about a half hour away from the city. She looked at the doorbell but hesitated before pushing it. She knew that this wasn't in her job description but something inside of her pushed her to make the small trip after leaving the precinct. She had been once before but for different reasons.

She bit her bottom lip before pushing the doorbell, leaving herself no room to change her mind. For a moment, nothing happened and Adriana thought that maybe no one was home. She let out a sigh of relief before turning around on the small porch to head back down the small set of stairs leading to the sidewalk.

The sound of the door opening caused her to stop and look back, finding a woman standing in the doorway.

"Hi, Mrs. Mayer," she greeted softly.

Paula Mayer was Susan Mayer's mother. Adriana met her after being assigned to the case. She was a short, plump woman with dark brown hair that was cut short. From the moment Adriana met her, she had the feeling that the woman would never get over the death of her daughter. Susan Mayer was an only child, and from Adriana could tell, very close to her mother. Paula would tell Adriana how the two would talk everyday.

"Ms. James," she said in surprise. Adriana could tell that her presence alone saddened Paula, for she understood that the only reason she would be there would be to discuss her daughter.

"Please come in." She gestured for Adriana to come in to the small house.

Adriana gave the woman a comforting smile as she walked past her and into the house. Paula led her to the living room where the two sat on opposite ends of the beige colored sofa. "Can I offer you anything?"

"Oh, no thank you," Adriana insisted, shaking her head. "I actually came to talk to you about the case."

Paula paused, sensing that it wasn't good. "Is everything okay?"

"Well…" She stared but was interrupted by the sound of someone coming in the door.

Both women looked up to see Robert Mayer come into the house. The moment her saw Adriana, a grim look came over his face. "What's going on?" He asked, his deep, rough voice, matching his physical appearance. Robert Mayer was a large man, most likely six feet tall if not taller.

"Um, sir, I came to talk to you two about your daughter's case."

Robert nodded as he moved to sit in the recliner that sat near the wall across from Adriana.

Adriana couldn't help but notice how Robert had not looked at his wife since entering their home. She knew that the death of a child is one probably the most devastating blows to a marriage. She figured the Mayer's were no exception.

She began to regret coming to tell that them that their daughter's murderer was found dead. She didn't know if it would make them feel better or not.

"Well, what is it?" he asked, a slight amount of harshness in his voice.

"Robert," Paula scolded.

"It's okay Mrs. Mayer," Adriana assured her. From the moment she met Robert, he had been insensitive in the way he addressed her. But she understood that it was the frustration of losing his only child. "I wanted to tell that you that Charles Easton was murdered last night," she said slowly.

"Oh my God," Paula cried out, bring her hand over her mouth. "So this means that there isn't going to be a trial for Susan?"

"Yes," Adriana answered.

Paula nodded in understanding but excused herself from the room. Adriana heard her sobs as she made her way up the stairs.

She turned to look at Robert Mayer, who hadn't said a word. His gaze remained fixed on the floor, completely ignoring Adriana's presence.

"Look Mr. Mayer, I'm sorry that…"

"It's fine," he said simply, his eyes still fixed on the same spot.

Adriana sat awkwardly, not knowing if she should leave or stay. Luckily, her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen as she stood from her spot on the sofa. "Um, I have to take this, but I am really sorry about everything sir."

Robert nodded, acknowledging that he heard her.

Adriana sighed as she moved past him and towards the front door. She looked up the steps to see if she saw any sign of Paula but she didn't. She turned back towards the door and let herself out.

The moment she stepped outside, she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding as she flipped open he cell.

"James."

"Hello Ms. James, I'm calling for Mr. Anderson. He would like to see you in his office as soon as possible," the woman's voice on the other end said.

Adriana sighed. "Okay. Can you let him know that I'm on my way? Give me about thirty minutes."

The woman promised to relay the information to her boss before hanging up the phone.

Adriana made her wait to the awaiting cab. He offered to wait since she had told him she wasn't planning to stay very long. She was grateful knowing that the time it took her to get a cab could have added another twenty minutes to her journey home.

She smiled as she got in the car, thinking that she wouldn't have to worry about it if a certain someone were there.

************

Adriana sat outside her boss' office waiting for the secretary to let her know that it was okay to go in. She was secretly wishing that she'd gone home to change out of her jeans and t-shirt first.

"Mr. Anderson will see you now," his secretary said from behind her desk.

Adriana gave her a polite smile before moving towards the door. She took a deep breath before entering the office.

She walked inside and was surprised to see more than just her boss looking at her. On her right, Levi sat on the row of low shelves along the side wall. He gave her a small wink when she looked over at him. She nodded in his direction before looking at the other people in the room.

On her left was an attractive woman whom she had never seen before, who stood a few feet away from her boss' desk. She was looked to be about five foot nine with long blonde hair going down her back. She was dressed in a pair of black slacks with a simple white blouse. She looked at Adriana with big brown eyes, slightly hidden by her bangs, as she offered a small smile. Adriana returned the gesture before looking towards her boss.

Martin Anderson was a middle aged man with pure grey hair that she assumed her got at an early age. He was a tall man that carried himself in a way that made those around him instantly recognize that he was the boss and they reported to him. The minute Adriana met him; she knew that she would enjoy working for him. He was nice enough in her opinion but also knew how to do his job.

"Please, have a seat Ms. James," he told her, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his desk.

She took the one closer to Levi, looking at him to give her a hint of what was going on but instead got a sly smirk. Adriana fought the urge to roll her eyes as she turned back towards her boss.

"So I see that you've met Levi. This is A.D.A. Rachel Cunningham, Rachel, this is Adriana James."

"Nice to meet you," Adriana told her.

"Likewise," she replied.

"So Ms. James, I wanted to talk to you about the recent development with the Susan Mayer case," Martin started. "I understand the Taylor and his team have a couple of leads there following."

"Yeah, they are. So far there may be some possible video footage of the person who gave the money for Easton's bail to the roommate," she informed him.

Marin nodded before glancing at the other two occupants of the room. "Look Ms. James, I've decided to give Rachel and Levi the lead on this one."

Adriana looked at him with a surprised expression on her face. She didn't know whether she should be hurt or upset. Currently, she was both.

"But sir, I don't understand."

"The reason I gave you the Mayer case was because it was simple and I knew it wouldn't be a problem. Now that Easton's the victim, that changes," he told her.

"With all due respect sir, I think I can handle this case," she countered.

"I don't doubt your ability in any way. But we have to consider what the defense is going to say. Whenever you try to get sympathy for Easton, there just going to remind the jury that a week before you were labeling him as a dangerous rapist and murderer."

Adriana remained silent, taking in everything he was saying. She knew he was right, although she didn't like it.

"Look Ms James, I said that I'm giving them the lead. You're still on the prosecution team; you're just not going to appear in court. I still want you to help Rachel and Levi in any way you can. You are the one who as been with Easton since the beginning so you could be a big asset."

Adriana sighed as she nodded in understanding. "I understand."

Martin smiled at her graciously before moving to stand. "Well, I have a meeting to get to, so I'll leave the three of you to get started," he said, leading them out of the office.

After Martin disappeared towards the elevator, Rachel spoke up. "Sorry about that. I don't want you to think we're taking your case or anything."

"Don't worry about. Besides, he's right. I mean, if we want to win this, we got play our cards right."

"Aw, look at my little Jamie all growing up," Levi teased.

"You're the one that needs to grow up," Rachel countered. For a minute, Adriana felt that there was more to her comment than what was going on at that current moment. She saw the two exchange a look before Levi turned back to her.

"Jamie?" she questioned.

"James, Jamie, whatever," he said with a shrug.

Adriana's phone rang just as she rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me," she told them before moving off to the side. "James."

"Adriana, it's Mac. We've got some new information if you're close by."

Adriana glanced down at her watch. "Give me ten minutes."

After saying their goodbyes, Adriana hung up her phone and turned back to her two companions. "That was Mac. He said that he had a couple of new pieces of information. I assuming you guys want to go too."

"Yeah, let me just grab my bag from my office. I'll be right back." Rachel headed towards one of the rooms located further down the hall. Adriana noticed Levi watching her closely as she left.

"Real subtle," she teased.

"What," he asked.

Adriana was surprised to see that he actually seem unaware of his actions. "Never mind," she said, wondering what the deal between the two was.

_Another day_ she thought.

************

Adriana, Rachel, and Levi arrived at the crime lab about ten minutes later. They stood in silence in the elevator before Rachel spoke up.

"I'm glad that we have Taylor's team on this one. They're good."

"You work with them often?" Adriana asked.

"Sometimes. I mostly work on the cases dealing with any type of sexual assault, but I've done simple homicides on occasion," Rachel answered.

Adriana nodded before turning towards Levi. "What about you?"

"Probably not as much as Rachel but enough to know they're good. I mostly deal with the cases involving the higher ups ya know. Politicians, members of law enforcement, and so on," he paused, a smirk coming across his face. "But I guess Anderson felt like sticking me with the lower class today."

"God, you're so annoying sometimes," Rachel complained.

"Never bothered you before," he countered.

Adriana watched as Rachel gave the same look from earlier. She was beginning to think that there was more to their relationship than what they were letting on.

The elevators arrived at their destination. They made their way out of the elevator and towards the conference room where Mac had told them to meet him.

They walked inside to find Mac, Stella, Sheldon, and Lindsay already seated around the table. After proper greetings went around Adriana, Rachel, and Levi each took a seat of their own.

"So, we were able to gather a couple of possible leads that could tell us what exactly what happened to Charles Easton," Mac started as he glanced at Sheldon.

Sheldon nodded before speaking. "Our M.E. was able to recover some clear views of the bruising on Charles Easton's face. Once we have suspect, I'd be able to match a mold of their fist to the bruising, proving that they beat up Easton."

"Well, Lindsay and I went back to Charles' apartment," Stella began. "While we didn't find any blatant death threats, we did find that he had been receiving pictures of Susan Mayer."

"So someone was mailing them? Did you get an address?" Rachel asked.

Lindsay shook her head. "There were no return addresses, which makes us think that they were physically delivered to the apartment."

"The strange part is that there was fourteen pictures total. Now, they weren't dated, but there was exactly fourteen days between the time that we named him one of our suspects and when he went into custody," Stella continued.

"So whoever was sending them, knew the details of the investigation. They knew when he'd been arrested so they stopped sending them." Levi assumed.

Stella nodded in his direction. "I think it's someone that we may know, or at least talked to."

Just then, Flack walked into the room, followed by Adam. He acknowledged everyone's presence before turning towards Mac. "I was able to get some video footage from the convenient store that Easton's roommate worked at," he told him.

"Is it hooked up Adam?" Mac asked.

"Yup, got it right here," he answered, pulling the footage up on one of the large screens in the room with a portable remote. "So the tape starts at 12:00 am yesterday and goes until midnight."

"Well according to Ricky Nanter, the man gave him the money at about ten o'clock so take it there," Mac stated.

Adam nodded and began to fast forward the tape. He stopped it exactly where Mac asked him. It showed Ricky Nanter talking to someone at the counter. Everyone member of the room leaned forwards to get a better look.

Adriana gasped when she saw the mysterious man on the tape. "I know him."


End file.
